Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kolonnawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Kolonnawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,243 per month in Lisbon vs $506 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Lisbon vs $836 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,387 per month in Lisbon vs $1,166 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 343% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 67% above the global median, while Kolonnawa is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 €13.42

$4.04 LKR 1,278

289.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 €53.9

$24.90 LKR 7,882

153.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €8.80

$8.53 LKR 2,699

20.98%

Cappuccino

$2.81 €2.40

$2.66 LKR 841

5.64%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$0.68 LKR 216

242.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.29

$0.40 LKR 128

277.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$2.30 LKR 728

46.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.34

$3.33 LKR 1,054

17.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.92

$1.70 LKR 539

-36.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.49

$0.53 LKR 166

230.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.70 LKR 222

150.00%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.64

$2.14 LKR 676

44.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 €11.33

$8.53 LKR 2,700

55.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 €6.70

$4.80 LKR 1,519

63.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.05 €13.69

$8.25 LKR 2,611

94.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$7.38 LKR 2,335

-67.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.11 LKR 350

54.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$5.73 LKR 1,813

-65.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$1.26 LKR 400

102.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.15 LKR 364

55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

$1.38 LKR 437

42.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.19 LKR 378

64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.71

$0.52 LKR 164

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$10.24 LKR 3,241

-33.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$10.98 LKR 3,475

-46.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.04 LKR 645

-32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.35 LKR 744

24.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.88 €39.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.51

$0.39 LKR 123

956.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.69

$0.33 LKR 104

145.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 €16.16

$0.58 LKR 182

3165.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.20 LKR 380

74.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.1K €30.0K

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

32.73%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.7K €33.9K

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

12.66%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$150 €128

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

146.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.49 €17.48

$4.38 LKR 1,386

367.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.15 €33.40

$14.88 LKR 4,710

163.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.35

$10.09 LKR 3,193

392.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

$1.65 LKR 522

1019.39%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.84

$3.37 LKR 1,067

173.00%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$624 €533

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

1568.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K €13.6K

$435 LKR 137.7K

3555.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.2

$27.11 LKR 8,580

276.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 €34.87

$19.14 LKR 6,057

113.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 €81.6

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

39.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €103

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

214.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,410

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 €1,051

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,043 €2,596

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 €1,756

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

16.45

-76.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,653 in Lisbon versus $0 in Kolonnawa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Lisbon versus $25 in Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $235 – making Kolonnawa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 343% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,365 per month in Lisbon and $759 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,243 in Lisbon and $506 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $624 per month in Lisbon and $37.43 in Kolonnawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $506, than in Lisbon at $2,243. In Kolonnawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $506 versus $2,243 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kolonnawa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.